The Signal | Children’s Bureau Mental Health Services in Valencia

The United States has one of the worst records among developed countries worldwide when it comes to child abuse, losing on average four to seven children daily to child abuse and neglect, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

That’s why Children’s Bureau, a nonprofit leader in the prevention and treatment of child abuse and neglect in Southern California, is expanding its services to the Santa Clarita Valley.

“As a resident and someone who has worked in community mental health in Santa Clarita for a long time, I know very clearly the huge need this community has for these services,” said Susan Wood, director of mental health at Children’s Bureau.

They celebrated the opening of their new outpatient therapy office in Valencia last month, which will provide mental health services to children, age 0 to 21, and their families.

“It’s really just meeting the needs of this community,” Wood said. “If we could prevent mental illness or at least prevent some of it, we would be much better off. That’s always been our goal — to try and do the early intervention.”

The office is staffed with 14 therapists and has five therapy rooms, but Children’s Bureau doesn’t just provide office-based services, they also go to local schools in the Newhall and William S. Hart school districts and offer in-home services to families as well.

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